Paper bag and process and machine



April 7, 1936. G. w. POPPE Re. 19,921

I PAPER BAG AND PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING SAME Original Filed Nov. 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet IN VENTOR fizoxaflfap s Y M A$TORNEU 5 April 7, 1936. v c; w POPPE Re. 19,921

PAPER BAG AND PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING SAME Original Filed Nov. 1, 1928 5 S heets-She'et '2 GEonzsEWPoPPe 6 EE l ATTORNEYS G. w POPPE PAPER BAG AND PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING SAME Original Filed Nov. 1, 192B s Sheets-Sheet 4 lNV ENTOR @Ea/zoEWoPPE zTTORNEYS Reissued Apr. 7, 19 36 UNITED STATES PAPER BAG AND PROCESS AND FOR MAKING SAME MACHINE George W, Poppe, Brooklyn, N. Y., asaignor to Equitable Paper Bag 00., Inc., a corporation of New York Original No. 1,798,168, dated March 31, 1931,

Serial No. 316,462, November 1, 1928. Application for reissue June 4, 1935, Serial No. 24,843

18 Claims.

The present invention pertains to new and useful improvements in receptacles made of paper, and more specifically the invention includes a new and improved paper bag of the type having a closing lip or flap and to a new and novel machine and method of manufacture thereof.

In the practical art of bag manufacture, a distinction is made between what are known as bags and what are known as envelopes, due to the process and machines for making the two separate types of receptacles. Envelopes, in the practical art, are formed in such a way that the flaps closing the envelope are a continuation of the web from which the envelope is formed but both flaps fold on the same side of the completed article.

Paper bags, on the other hand, are formed by folding a web of paper longitudinally to form a tube-like structure which issevered into predetermined lengths to form a bag, one flap of which is a prolongation of the upper portion of the tube-like structure while the other flap is a prolongation of the other or opposite portion. In such a bag the free or closing flap contains a portion of the seam due to the fold.

The severing of the paper bags from the tubelike structure is accomplished by a so-called chopping action which consists in holding the tubelike structure under tension and in engagementwith the cutting edge of suitably arranged knives in which position the tube-like structure is subjected to a sudden blow, the impact of which serves to sever it along its line of engagement with the knives.

So far as I am aware, in all bags of thetype above mentioned, the outer edge of the closing lip or flap is continuous and when the closing lip or flap is folded to bag-closing position it does not sufficiently overlap the body of the bag comers to afford the necessary protection to the bag contents, nor do such bags present as good an appearance as when the flaps are longer, as in envelopes. Bags of this type therefore cannot be desired to protect articles from dust, etc..to use.

envelopes in which the closing lip or flap forms an effective dustproof closure. Receptacles of this type, however, are expensive due to waste incident totheir method of manufacture and to the relatively slow operation of the machines by which they are made and the cost of these envelopes, which is considerably greater than that of paper bags, prohibits their use except for certain types of merchandise.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a paper bag having a closing flap of the same length and similar in shape to that of an envelope, but which can be produced as rapidly as an ordinary paper bag.

It is a further object of the invention to pr ride a novel mechanism for use in connection with standard machines for forming paper bags of the closing lip type, whereby the new and improved bag may be-formed on such machines without in any manner affecting the operation of the machine.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists broadly in slitting die-cutting a web of paper at oppositely disposed points in the width thereof, and at predetermined intervals in the length thereof, suitably folding the web to form a substantially tube-like structure and' subsequently subjecting the folded tube-like structure to the aforementioned chopping operation to sever it transversely along lines which meet the ends of the slits. Forming paper bags in the above described manner provides a closing lip or flap for a bag, of the same desirable type heretofore employed in envelopes and which, when folded to.

closing position forms a complete closure for the bag which is eflective against the entrance of dust and undesirable foreign matter.

While in the present illustration of the invention, the slits or cuts formed in the web are positioned at an angle of approximately 20 to the longitudinal axis of the web, this angle may be increased or decreased as desired and in some instances the slits may be formed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the web. Furthermore the slits may be formed either by a so-called slitting mechanism or they may be die-cut, and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to 'any precise angle of slits or to any particular manner of forming them.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims,'the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention in a preferred form and the following detailed description of the construction therein shown In the drawings- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a paper-bag machine showing the mechanism for carrying out the present invention attached theret Figure 2 is a detail view in elevation of one type Iattachment for forming the slits in the paper we Figure 3 is a plan view of the chopping mechanism of a known type of paper bag machine;

Figure 4 is a detail view partly in section of a slitting mechanism;

Figure 5 is asimilar view taken at right angles t Fi ure 4: v

Figure 6 is a detail view partly in section of a form of a die cutting mechanism;

Figure 7 is a similar view takenat right angles to Figure 6; I

Figure 8 is a detail bottom plan viewof the die cutting mechanism shown in Figures 6 and 7;

Fig1lre9isap1an viewofwebofpaper. said view showing the manner in which the web is folded longitudlnally'and also showing the web formed with straight slits, parallel to its longitudinal axis, and severed transversely into bag lengths;

Figure 10 is a reverse face view of a bag length fornsed in accordance with the showing of Fig- Figure his a plan view of a web of paper similar to that shown in Figure 9 except thatthe slits are formed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the web;

Figure 12 shows the'manner in which a bag length is severed from the folded web frent ways.

Figure 13 is a view. of a severed bag length:

Figures 14 and 15 are reverse face views of a completed bag:'

Figure 16 illustrates another type of slit formed in the web:

Figures 17 to 19 inclusive illustrate the manner in which a paper bag is formed from a web of papeir slit in accordance with the showing of Figure 6.

It is tobe understood that theprocess of making my improved bag maybe carried out in dif- I have, however, for purpose of illustration, shown the invention as being performed with a bag machine of usual construction, which known machine is suitably modified to enable it to be used to produce my improved bag.

7 Beforedescribing the 'newparts in detail, brief mention will be made of the more important parts of a known bag machine. Referring to Figure 1,

the paper from which the bags are formed is fed as a webfroma roller 2| over a guide roller 12 and between rollers 24 and 28 which may be feed rollers. but sometimes these rollers carry printing devices for printingsuitable matter on the web of'paper at such distances apart that it properly appears on each finished bag. The web then passes over a guide roller "and around a roller.

mounted on the shaft 3|.

For the purpose of the present invention this roller is modified but in the usual machine such roller may be and frequently is an ordinary roller which serves to reverse the direction of the paper and deliver it to the folding and forming mechanism 32,- whence it passes through the feed rollers It to the chopping mechanism designated generally by I. This. chopping mechanism severe the folded web transversely into bag lengths. 'I'hebagthenpassesontofoldingandpasting mechanismnot shown, whichoperate tofold m2 thebottomfiapofthebagandpasteitin theusual i ,In: the process of making my improved bag the paper web is slit or die-cut at suitable intervals prior to the folding operation, said slits forming the edges of flaps in the finished bag. The means for doing this and other changes, in the known form of bag making machine, whereby a bag is made accordingto my new process, will now be described.

In Figure l of the drawings, the mechanism employed for forming the slits in the paper web isofthetypeknownintheartasadiecutterand it comprises a pair of knives 50 secured to a shaft 52. Bearings it support the shaft I2 and said bearings are of a type which permits of ad- ,iustment of the shaft.

Each knife 50 is carried by a block or the like ll, see Figures 6 to 8, these blocks being prefer-' ably split as at 58 and secured to the shaft 52 by means of a bolt ill and key 82. i The blocks I.

are slotted as at 63 and the knives are slidably mounted in these slots, they being held therein by bolts. or similar means GI which are carried by the blocks and which pass through openings 66 in the knives 50. It will be noted that the openings it in the knives 50 are slightly larger than the bolts 64 which construction permits of a slight movement of each knife ill relative to the block by which it is carried. For the purpose of yieldingly mounting the knives, springs OI are employed to force the knives outwardly of their blocks, said springs being mounted in recesses in the blocks. Interposed between each spring and its respective knife there is a follower II which serves totransmit the pressure of the spring to the knife and thereby yieldingly maintain the knife extended into cutting contact with the surface of rollers ll, mounted on shaft II. By mounting the knife in the above described manner sumclent pressure to properly cut the paper is obtained, and injury to the cutting edge of the knife by contact with the surface of the rollers ll is prevented. By reference to Figures 6 to 8 of the drawings, it will be notedthat the knives ID are positioned at an angle with respect to their rotary path of travel and by this arrangement of the knives, theslits are formed in the web of paper at an angle to the longitudinal axis thereof which produces a closing lip for the finished bag, the end edges of which are angular, as in the form of bag shown in Figures 11 to 15 inclusivelf It is to be understood that the angle at which the knives are positioned may be varied to produce any angle desired for the end edges of the closing lip. r i

As shown in Figures 2, the roller which in the usual machine is mounted on the shaft II is in the present invention replaced by a roller of the section type which, and preferably comprises end sections and two pairs of intermediate sections, one pair of said intermediate sections being designated by the reference numeral 35, the other pair being designated by the reference number 31. These roller sections, 3! and 31 are adjustably carried by the shaft BI, and are secured thereon in their adiusted position by means of set screws 38. By this construction, it is readily apparent that the several sections of'the roller together with the knives 50 may be adjusted to form slits in the web of paper at the proper distance apart transversely of the web.

to the blocks 58 which carry the knives 80, the

through a slot 82 in the knife, and has threaded engagement with the block as at 84. As shown in Figure 4,these knives are straight as distinguished from the knives 80 heretofore described and as shown in Figure 5, these knives I8 operate in peripheral grooves 38 in the end sections 33. This last described construction is known in the art as a slitting mechanism and its principal'use in connection with the present invention is for forming straight slits in the paper web such as are shown in Figures 9 and 10 in the drawings.

'The aforementioned chopping mechanism 38 preferably consists of two knives 90 and 92 which extend transversely of the machine as more clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The knife 90 is car.- ried by a suitable support 94 arranged in such a manner that the knife occupies a slight angular position with respect to the travel of paper through the machine. The support 9| is pivotally secured at one endas at 93 to the machine, its other end being engaged by a suitable latch by means of which the support is held during operation against movement about its pivotal point. Loosening the latch 95 permits of swinging the support 94 about its pivotal point 93 for the purpose of clearing the machine should it'become choked at this point. The knife 92 occupies a position which is parallel to the travel of paper through the machine and is positioned beyond the knife 90 as shown in Figure 1.

Suitably mounted on each side of the machine is an endless belt, 96 and connecting these belts there is a transversely-extending bar 98. This bar 98 moves upwardly through the machine in proximity to the knife 92 and imparts a sharp upward blow to the folded paper web, the impact of which serves-to sever the web transversely along its lines of engagement with both-knives 90 and 02.

, pinch bars I00 are employed. These pinch bars each have a projection I02 and the folded paper web is gripped between these projections I02 as they come together as shown in Figure 1, it being understood that the pinch bars I00- are rotated at a speed which slightly retards the movement of the folded web of paper through the machine when it is grippedby the projections I02.

The feed roller 20 is mounted upon a shaft 28, and carried by this shaft in such a manner that it is rotated therewith, there is a gear 21. gear 21 drives a gear 29 suitably mounted as at 3|. Driven by the gear 29 there is a sprocket wheel 33 around which a driving chain 35 passes. This chain 30 also passes around a sprocket 31 mounted upon the shaft 82 and said shaft is rotated by the driving chain 35 which'in turn is driven by the gears 21 and 29, and the sprocket 33. The driving chain 30 also passes around an adjustable idle sprocket 38 by means of which any slack in the chain 38 due to wear or adjustment of the shaft 82 may be taken up.

Mounted on the shaft 20, there is a sprocket shaft 52 also carries a plurality of blocks 10. The

ll around which a chain 43 passes, and this chain 43 also passes around a sprocket 45 carried by the lower pinch bar I00. This chain 43 serves to drive the lower pinch bar I00, the upper pinch bar being driven from the lower pinch bar in any desired manner. For the purpose of taking up slack in the driving chain 83, an adjustable idle sprocket 01 is employed and is suitably mounted in frame of the machine.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, a dCSCI'IP', tion of one type of bag formed in accordance with the present invention will be given. The paper web is fed through the machine as heretofore described and 'as it passes around the roller 30 the paper web is provided with slits H0 at proper intervals in its length to form the size of bag desired. These slits I I0 are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the web and are formed by the heretofore described slitting mechanism 11- lustrated in detail in Figures 4 and 5. The paper web is then passed to the folding mechanism where it is folded upon the lines 2 in such a manner that the free edges overlap as indicated at lit to form the bag body. After the web has thus been folded to'form a tubular structure it is passed onto the chopping mechanism heretofore described where it is severed transversely along the lines H8 and H8 by the knives 90 and 92 respectively. After the tubular structure has been severed by the chopping mechanism a bag length 9 such as I20 results. This bag length is provided on each end with a flap, the flap on one end being a prolongation of one side of the bag body, while the flap on the other and is prolongation of the' opposite side of the big body, this result being obtained by the position of the knives of the chopping mechanism. In Figure 9 these flaps are designated by the reference numerals I22 and jtions Ill of the bag body are also permanently secured together, preferably by means of paste.

The flap I24 which may be called the free flap is employed for closing the bag when in use and this flap may or may not be provided with a gum or other suitable adhesive by which it may be retained in its bag-closing position.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that hen the free flap I20 is folded over to close the bag owing to the shape of the flap and the manner in which it is formed a dust-proof closure is bad, it being understood that the flap is folded transversely along its base line.

In Figures llto 15 inclusive is shown a slightly different type of bag in which the paper web is formed with slits I30 at equally distantly spaced intervals as it passes around the roller. 30. These slits I30 are angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the web and are formed by the die-cutting mechanism heretofore described and illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 inclusive. After the web is so formed it is folded in the manner heretofore described to form a tubuluar structure with overlying edges IIl.- This tubular sive. It will be noted by reference to Figures 12 to 15 that the bag lengths have a flap at each end thereof and said flaps, as in the heretofore de- 1 scribed bag lengths are a prolongation of the opposite sides of the bag leblths. In Figures 12 to for manufacturing bags of i5theseflapsaredesignatedbythereferenee characters I32 and I. It will be noted that when the web-is slit andfolded as shown in Figure 1! and subsequently severed into bag lengths as shown in Figures 12 to 15, the side wall of each bag length opposite the ilap I" will be formed with a side wing portion I which serves to entirely close the bottom end of the bag length when the flap I32 is folded along the line III. The free flap lllof each bag length has angular end edges I80 which extend from the outer or.

free edge of the flap entirely to the base of the flap. When this flap I is folded over to close the bag in use the. fold is made along the line I 42 and owing to the end edges of the closing flap as at I54, as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings and the purpose of thus forming the slits is to prevent a ragged edge known in the art as a "tatter" which often occurs at the juncture of the side fold and the transverse cut of the chopping mechanism and is due to the knives of the chopping mechanism not accurately coinciding with the ends of the slits. This may also result from an inaccurate folding of the web with respect to the slits I" formed therein and therefore by extending the ends of the slits inwardly of the web so that theyv extend slightly beyond the longitudinal line of fold, all possibility of tearing in such a manner as r to produce the so-called tatter" is obviated. Another advantage resulting from this form of cut is that when the lip of the bag is folded over small gussets are produced at the bag corners thereby more eifectually protecting the bag contents from dust.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a new and improved paper bag inwhich the closing flaps or lips are so constructed as to assure at all times a dust proof closure for the bag and furthermore the invention provides a new and improved method this character and a new and improved machine for carrying out the new and improved method. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular illustrated embodiments herein but that the invention may be produced 'in such other forms as rightfully fall within the scope' of the claims hereto annexed.

What is claimed as new is:

l. The method of making an envelope bag, which comprises taking a bag tube. which longitudinal cuts at intervals in the length thereof. and severing both walls ofthe tube along lines which connect both ends of the cuts.

2. The method of making an envelope bag from a web of paper having longitudinal cuts at intervals in the length thereof, which comprises folding the web to form a tube, and completely Q severing the walls of the tube along lines which "connect both ends ofthe cuts.

3; The method'of making envelope bags. which comprises making cuts in a web of paper at substantially bag length intervals along the length thereof, said cuts separated transversely a distance corresponding to the width of the closing thereof, said cuts separated transversely a discomprises cutting a web of paper to providerela- 1o,oa1 I I a m the finished m. folding said web to form' a bag tube having front and rear walls andsubsequently completely severing both walls of the I bag tube along lines which connect the respective ends of the cuts.

4. The method of making envelope bags which comprises making cuts in a web of paper at substantially bag length distances along the length tance corresponding to the width of the free flap in the finished bag, folding said web to form a bag tubehaving front and rear walls and subsequently completely severing one tube wall along a line connecting the cuts at one end thereof and the other tube wall along a line connecting the other ends of the cuts.

' ii. The method of forming paper bags which comprises cutting a web of paper to provide relatively short transversely spaced slits at equidistantly spaced intervals in the lengththereof, folding said web of paper to provide a front wall and a rear wall in the finished bag, severing both walls ofthe longitudinally folded web transversely along lines which meet both ends of the slits, and subsequently closing one end of the severed portion.

6. The method of forming paper bags which comprises cutting a web of paper to provide relatively short angularly disposed slits at equi-distantly spaced intervals in the length thereof, said slits being spaced apart transversely a distance substantially equal to the width of the finished bag, folding said web of paper to provide a front wall and a rear wall in the finished bag, severing both walls of the folded web of paper transversely along lines which meet both the ends of the slits, and subsequently closing one end of the severed portion.

7, The method of forming paper bags which tively short slits at equi-distantly spaced intervals in the length thereof, folding said web of paper to provide a front wall and a rear wall in the finished bag, simultaneouslysevering the folded web of paper transversely at along lines which meet both the ends of the slits, and closing one end of the severed portion.

8. In a machine for making an envelope bag having a closing flap, the combination with the web-feeding and web-folding mechanisms thereof; of chopping knives for severing both walls of the bag tube. rotary cutters for making cuts in the web of paper prior to folding so spaced that the cuts form the sides of the closing flap of theiinished bag, said chopping knives being separated from each other such a distance and the knives being of such length that the walls of the bag hibe are severed by said knives along lines that meet both ends of the cuts.

8. The method of forming a bag from a web, comprising cutting slits in the web in oppositely arranged pairs spaced from the edges of the web, folding the edges of the web to form a tube, and cutting the tube bytransverse cuts on opposite sides thereof, said cuts connecting the opposed ends of the slits.

10. The method of forming a bag from a web,

. comprising cutting slits in the web in oppositely 11. Apparatus for forming bags or the like,

comprising a support for a roll of material, a

slitter roll over which the material passes, diagonally arranged blades on the roll, a former, and means to draw the material over and wrap it around the former to form a tube, the edges of the former, if extended, intersecting the blades.

12. A machine embodying the features of claim 11, together with transverse cutters to sever blanks from the leading end of the tube.

13. Apparatus for forming bags or the like, comprising a support for a roll of material, cutters for forming cuts in the material spaced inwardly from the edges thereof, said cuts being located angularly in respect to the general direction of the web, a former, means for drawing the web over the former to form a tube, and. transverse cutters tocut both walls of the tube from opposite ends of the cuts.

14. Apparatus for forming bags or the like comprising a support for a roll of material. a former, means for wrapping the material about the former to make a tube, means for cutting both walls of the tube transversely to form individual blanks from the leading end of the tube, and means for forming cuts in the material running in a general longitudinal direction prior to making the transverse cuts, the transverse cuts meeting the opposing ends of the longitudinal cuts.

15. The process of making bags from a web without waste, comprising forming spaced pairs of slits in a web, folding the web along longitudinal lines which intersect the slits and cutting both walls of the tube by transverse cuts which connect both ends of the slits to'thereby form a bag tube. I

16. The process of making bags which comprises making cuts in a web of material, said cuts having curved ends, folding the web toform the bag tube and severing both walls of the tube along lines that meet opposite ends of the cuts.

17. A paper bag having a front wall, a. rear wall and side folds, a top flap which is a prolongation of one of said walls, said flap having side edges which'are prolonged beyond the side folds of the bag.

18. A paper bag having front and rear walls and side folds, a flap at the mouth of the bag adapted to be folded over onto one wall thereof to close the bag mouth, the sides of the flap. meeting the top edge of one bag wall beyond the folded edges of the bag, thereby forming gussets at the top corners of the bag when the flap is folded over.

- GEORGE W. POPPE. 

